The (Peoria) Journal Star reports Hardin and White counties topped the state for the most concealed carry permit requests based on their population. Each county had a rate of 12.5 applications per 1,000 residents.

So far, 54 Hardin County residents have applied and 184 applications have come from White County residents.

Cook County, which is home to Chicago, had the least number of applications per-capita - 2.3 per 1,000 residents. But the state's most populated county led the state in simple numbers, with 12,027 applicants so far.

Illinois State Police began accepting permit applications in January. By early March, nearly 49,000 people had applied. The first permits were mailed this month.